A traditional automatic transmission includes a transmission control device employed to control the transmission of a motor vehicle. The transmission control device is used to select several ranges, such as Park, wherein the transmission is locked to prevent the vehicle from moving, Neutral, wherein the transmission allows the vehicle to be moved freely, such as when being towed, Reverse, wherein the transmission allows the vehicle to move backwards, and one or more Drive ranges that enable forward motion of the vehicle. Usually, the transmission control device is in the form of a lever connected with a mechanical connection, such as a cable or a hydraulic line, to the transmission. Typically, the lever is also connected to an indicator. As the transmission control mechanism is moved from one range to another, the mechanical connection physically shifts the transmission to the selected setting and the indicator moves to show the driver which range has been selected. Even if the vehicle is turned off, the driver is able to determine the current transmission range from the indicator and, in some cases, is able to move the transmission control mechanism to Neutral if, for example, the vehicle is to be towed.
The traditional automatic transmission utilizes multiple friction elements for automatic gear ratio shifting. Broadly speaking, these friction elements may be described as torque establishing elements although more commonly they are referred to as clutches or brakes. The friction elements function to establish power flow paths from an internal combustion engine to a set of vehicle traction wheels. During acceleration of the vehicle, the overall speed ratio, which is the ratio of a transmission input shaft speed to a transmission output shaft speed, is reduced during a ratio upshift as vehicle speed increases for a given engine throttle setting. A downshift to achieve a higher speed ratio occurs as an engine throttle setting increases for any given vehicle speed, or when the vehicle speed decreases as the engine throttle setting is decreased. Various planetary gear configurations are found in modern automatic transmissions. However, the basic principle of shift kinematics remains similar. Shifting an automatic transmission having multiple planetary gear sets is accompanied by applying and/or releasing friction elements to change speed and torque relationships by altering the torque path through the planetary gear sets. Friction elements are usually actuated either hydraulically or mechanically based on the position of the transmission control device.
In a shift-by-wire transmission arrangement, the mechanical connection between the transmission control device and the transmission is eliminated. Instead, the transmission control device takes the form of a gear shift module configured to transmit an electrical signal to an electronic controller. The controller directs separate actuators to apply or release the various friction elements to obtain a desired gear ratio. The gear shift module is not necessarily in the form of a lever because the control device is no longer moving a mechanical connection for controlling the transmission. Instead, the gear shift module is typically an electro-mechanical interface (e.g., a series of buttons, lever or knob) that is used to instruct the transmission to switch between the transmission ranges.